File follower plate



April 28, 1942. E. BERGMAN FILE FOLLOWER PLATE Fi-led Dec. 16, 1940 lNVENTOR ED BEEGMAN .ATTORN Patented Apr. 28, 1942 FILE FOLLOWER PLATE Ed. Bergman, New York, N. Y., assignor to Art Steel Company, Inc., New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application December 16, 1940, Serial No. 370,371

5 Claims.

The present invention relates to filing receptacles, for example cabinet drawers, and more particularly to the follower plates used in association therewith for maintaining the files arranged therein in compact and orderly fashion.

Since the capacity of a filing receptacle or drawer may not at all times be utilized, in order to adjust the size of the interior thereof to accommodate the quantity of files actually arranged therein, a follower plate has been provided in the receptacles or drawers heretofore used. Such follower plates have been arranged to permit their adjustment to fixed predetermined positions in the receptacle or drawer. Such arrangement is not adequate to always exert a pressure against the files upon adjusting the interior of the receptacle or drawer to accommodate the quantity of plates the provision of a filing receptacle and follower plate associated therewith, which follower plate is so arranged and constructed that it may be positioned adjacent to and advanced in infinitely progressive steps against the files to thereby maintain the files in compact arrange ment.

In certain circumstances, it is desirable. that the files arranged within a filing receptacle be at all times held compactly together, under pressure. This is especially true in cases where the files, such as cards, are used in business machines, usually of the automatic type. In such machines, it is essential that the cards be maintained straight and fiat as otherwise errors and jamming of the machines are likely to occur. After such files have been used, it oftentimes occurs that due to handling they are slightly bent or warped. In order to straighten or iron them out, it is desirable that when they are arranged in the filing receptacle, pressure be exerted against them as lower plate.

The present invention, therefore, contemplates the provision of means associated with a follower plate for advancing it against the files so as to exert pressure on them, and substantially concurrently locking the follower plate in pressureexerting position.

The present invention also contemplates the provision of means for quickly unlocking the follower plate so that it can be readily moved away from the files so as to release them to permit their withdrawal, or quickly arranged against the files and locked in position to compactly hold them in place.

Other and further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description and the drawing relating thereto, in which Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a cabinet drawer embodying my invention, the center thereof broken away to condense the drawing and a side wall partially broken away to show the file follower plate and mechanism associated therewith.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary sectional view of the cabinet drawer showing the mechanism for advancing and locking in position the follower plate.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 2 illustrating the mechanism associated with the follower plate locked in advanced position.

In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, a receptacle such as cabinet drawer Hi comprising the conventional front l2, bottom It and side walls I4 is provided. Files I8 may be arranged in the drawer l0 intermediate the front I2 and a follower plate 20, the position of which in the cabinet drawer may be adjusted to vary the size of its interior to accommodate it to the quantity of files arranged therein and to hold them in orderly, compact arrangement.

In the present invention, it is preferred that this follower plate 20 is so constructed and arranged that after it has been moved against the files to adjust the interior drawer size, it may be inched against the files, that is further advanced against them in infinite progressive steps so that pressure is always exerted on the files iii in the drawer H]. For this purpose, I prefer to provide in each side wall M a C-shaped guide channel extending longitudinally within said Walls and formed as a part thereof, the guide channel opening facing inwardly of the drawer. While the guide channel 22 may be formed separately of the walls, it is preferred that the drawer side wall I 4 be blanked and drawn to form the integral channel 22, which comprises a horizontal top wall or flange 24 and an opposed spaced horizontal bottom wall or flange 26, both extending outwardly from a side wall H3 at right angles thereto and connected at their outermost edges by the outer channel wall 28.

For mounting the follower plate within the drawer for sliding movement therealong to adjust the interior capacity thereof, inching the plate forward against the files to compress them and concurrently locking the plate in file compressing position, I provide the file follower A having a component B slidably arranged within each guide channel 22 and fitting neatly therein. The plate extends transversely of the drawer and is secured at each end thereof to a follower component A, so that the plate may be moved, as desired, backwards or forwards to any selected position, the follower components B, as will be hereinafter described, adapted to be unlocked and loosely slid within the channels. Each component B includes a lower shoe 32 which, when the follower A is slid within the drawer, preferably rides along the lower flange 25 of the channel 22.

The lower shoe 32 may be a metallic bar, the under surface 33 of which is smooth, and which is of relatively substantial length but not equal in height to the height of the channel 22 and preferably less than one half the total height of the channel 22.

An upper shoe 34, which may be a metallic bar, the upper surface of which is smooth, is arranged above and normally resting on the lower shoe 32, and adapted to cooperate therewith to lock the sliding component in any selected position within the drawer. It will be apparent that if the upper shoe and lower shoe are forced apart so that the upper shoe is forced against the top flange 24 of the channel and the lower shoe 32 forced against the bottom flange 26 of the channel, the friction resulting between the walls and the shoes will securely lock the component in the selected position.

To secure the follower plate 22 to the sliding mechanism, a bracket 35 in the form of a bar is extended from integrally with the upper shoe at its forward end inwardly away from the rest of the shoe at right angles thereto. A bracket-securing channel 33 is formed in the follower plate, in which channel at each end thereof is received a corresponding shoe bracket 36, which is secured therein and secured to the vertical wall 42 thereof by any suitable means such as nut and bolt 42. By providing such a bracket-securing channel, extending inwardly away from the file plate surface which contacts the files, a uniformly aligned surface is provided. It will be apparent that sliding the follower A correspondingly moves the upper shoes 34 and the follower plate attached to them.

To separate the upper and lower shoes from the outer wall 28 of the channel 22 and provide a neat sliding fit for each component B in the channel, I prefer to provide the spacer plate 44 secured by any suitable means, such as for example Welding, to the upper shoe 34 and extending below it. The portion 46 of the spacer plate 44 .which extends below the bottom of the upper shoe 34 to cooperate with a guide plate 48 arranged on the inner wall of the upper shoe 34 and secured thereto by any suitable means such as the rivets 49. The spacer plate 46 and guide plate 48 together form guide rails to permit sliding movement of the upper shoes 34 on thelower shoes 32 when the follower plate 29) is inched forward and locked in final position against the files, as will be described in greater detail hereinafter.

According to the present invention, the follower plate 20 is adapted to be moved towards the files ill by sliding the follower A along the channels 22. After the follower plate has been manually positioned against the files IE, it is adapted to be further advanced or inched forward to compress the files It and to be concurrently locked or clamped in pressure-exerting position.

It will be apparent that if the upper shoe 34 is moved to the left as viewed in Figs. 1, 2 and 4, it will advance the follower plate 22 towards the files l8, even though the lower shoe 32 is station- 'ary. In the illustrated embodiment of the present invention, the advancing motion of the follower plate to compress or exert pressure on the files is accomplished by advancing the upper shoe 34 relative to the lower shoe 32.

For this purpose, I prefer to provide means operating on the principle of a rack and pinion, the mutilated pinion being arranged to turn on the lower shoe 32 and having a tooth meshing with unfinished teeth out into the upper shoe 34. The oscillating member 52 which functions as a mutilated pinion, is adapted to rotate on the lower shoe 32 by providing on it the preferably semi-circular journal 5% at the bottom of said member 52. For reasons that will become apparent, member 52 is preferably arranged to oscillate in a bearing much as a shaft might.

A substantially similarly curved recess 56 is formed in the top of the lower shoe 32 to provide the bearing on which the curved journal 54 of oscillating member 52 is arranged to slide for rotation of member 52.

For advancing upper shoe 34 relative to the lower shoe 32, the oscillating member 52 may be provided with a tooth 58 arranged thereon and projecting therefrom at a point above the curved bearing surface 54. It is to be understood that instead of a single tooth several may be employed.

The upper shoe 3% is cut away at the bottom thereof, as will be described hereinafter, to permit engagement by and oscillation of the rotating member 52. By cutting a recess 6i] in the upper shoe 34 as shown in Fig. 2, two unfinished teeth 62 are formed on either side thereof which mesh with the tooth 58 of the oscillating member 52. The recess 60 is formed so that the tooth 58 fits loosely therein, the recess widening towards the base of tooth 5&3 so as not to bind the tooth therein.

From the foregoing, it will be apparent that upon rotation of the oscillating member 52 in a clockwise direction (as viewed in Fig. 2) the upper shoe will be moved toward the right (as viewed in Fig. 2) to withdraw the plate 22 away from the files.

When the oscillating member 52 is rotated in the other direction (to assume the position illustrated in Fig. 4) the upper shoe will be advanced forward to thereby force the follower plate 20 against the files 18 to compress them.

It will also be apparent that if the shoes are concurrently separated so as to force them against the opposed top and bottom flanges of the channel 22, the sliding follower components B and, therefore, the follower plate 22 will be locked in position. This locking of the follower plate 22 is to be accomplished when the upper shoe of each sliding member is in the advanced position illustrated in Fig. 4.

For the afor said purpose of separating the shoes, I prefer to provide a curved cam 64 on the oscillating member 52 opposite the curved bearing 54. The under side of the upper shoe 34 is cut away to form a correspondingly curved cam surface 55, which is operatively engaged by the cam 54 upon rotation of the oscillating member 52. The cam surface 64 is curved to press against the upper shoe and raise it in the channel when the oscillating member 52 is rotated in a counter-clockwise direction to move the upper shoe to cause the foilower plate 20 to compress files I8.

When the oscillating member 52 is in the position illustrated in Fig. 2, the upper shoe 34 rests on the lower shoe 32, leaving a slight clearance between the top of the upper shoe 34 and the top flange 24 of the channel 22. When, however, the oscillating member 52 is rotated into the position shown in Fig. 4, the upper shoe is advanced carrying with it the follower plate 20, and substantially concurrently the upper shoe 34 is raised by the cam 54 until it presses and grips the top wall 24 of channel 22 while the lower shoe 32 is forced against the bottom flange 26 of said channel. It will also now be apparent that the spacer plate 45 and guide plate 48 cooperate to guide the upper shoe in its movement relative to the lower shoe. Thus, the follower plate is advanced against the files to compress them and is substantially concurrently locked in position.

It will, of course, be understood that the magnitude of the forward movement of the plate 20 will be governed by the specific upper shoe rack and pinion member 52, the cam arrangement being governed thereby to have the shoes tightly grip the channel flanges substantially when the plate is brought home against the files. It is important that the under surfaces of the shoes and the corresponding flange surfaces be smooth, so that when the plate is brought home against files which may not at that position be compressible the follower sliding components may have sufiicient give to permit the follower to be locked in position.

In order to permit both follower components B to concurrently slide in the channel when the follower A is selectively positioned in the drawer and to simultaneously rotate the oscillating member 52 of the follower components, which are arranged in opposite side walls of the receptacle I0, I prefer to provide a handle bar 68 extending transversely across the receptacle and having its ends formed into keys 76 fitting into slots 12 provided in the oscillating members 52. To permit ready oscillation of the bar 68 and corresponding simultaneous oscillation of the members 52, I prefer to provide a handle plate 14 secured to said bar by any suitable means. The handle '14 is adapted to be manually grasped to turn bar 63 to thereby operatively rotate the oscillating members 52 as a unit to inch the plate and lock it in position or to unlock and withdraw the plate from file-compressing position. It will be further apparent that the follower A may be longitudinally moved to selectively position the plate within the drawer through the handle 14.

Without further description it is thought that the features and advantages of the invention will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and it will, of course, be understood that changes in the form, proportion and minor details of construction may be resorted to, without departing from the spirit of the invention and scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A file receptacle having channels arranged in opposite walls thereof, a follower plate, and a pair of sliding mechanisms, each slidably arranged within one of the channels, each of said sliding mechanisms comprising an upper shoe and a lower shoe, one of said shoes being secured to the follower plate, an oscillating member arranged for movement on one shoe and having a cam surface adapted to engage the other shoe to vertically separate said shoes and thereby lock the sliding mechanism within the channel, said oscillating member provided with a tooth adapted to enter a recess within one shoe for advancing said shoe relative to the other shoe concurrently with the locking movement of said shoes.

2. In a file receptacle, a channel, a follower, said follower including a pair of separable shoes slidably arranged within said channel, one of said shoes superposed upon the other, a member arranged between the shoes and journaled on one of said shoes for oscillation thereon, said member having a cam adapted to engage the other shoe upon oscillation thereof to separate the shoes, and a tooth arranged on said member adapted to engage said other shoe to advance said other shoe upon oscillation of the member.

3. In a file receptacle, a channel, a follower, said follower including a pair of separable shoes slidably arranged within said channel, one of said shoes superposed upon the other, a member arranged between the shoes and journaled on one of said shoes for oscillation thereon, said member having a cam adapted to engage the other shoe upon oscillation thereof to separate the shoes, and a tooth arranged on said member adapted to engage said other shoe to advance said other shoe upon oscillation of the member, and a follower plate secured to said other shoe.

4. In a file receptacle, a follower plate, a sliding mechanism adapted to selectively position said follower plate in the receptacle, said sliding-mechanism comprising a pair of shoes, one of said shoes being secured to the follower plate and having a recess therein, means for guiding said sliding mechanism, means for advancing the shoes secured to the follower plate relative to the other shoe including a tooth arranged within said recess and adapted to engage the walls defining said recess, and means for concurrently locking the shoes in fixed position relative to the guiding means.

5. A file receptacle having channels arranged in opposite walls thereof, a follower plate, and a pair of sliding mechanisms, each slidably arranged within one of the channels, each of said sliding mechanisms comprising an upper shoe and a lower shoe, one of said shoes being secured to the follower plate and a mutilated pinion journalled for oscillation on one shoe and arranged to engage the other shoe upon oscillation of the said pinion to separate the shoes and thereby lock the sliding mechanism within the channel, said mutilated pinion arranged to engage a shoe and advance said shoe relative to the other of the shoes concurrently with the said locking movement of the shoes.

ED. BERGMAN. 

